In fact, I really started this book by chance ... I was not particularly attracted at first but just reading the summary made me want to know the rest. I hesitated to write this book ... At first he put off by the melancholy of the story (the dark ages of humanity). Clearly the author paints a very bleak picture of humanity, its succees and its nuisance capacity ... Some descriptions of landscapes and characters are quite long (no longer than one page anyway) so sometimes it hurts the fluidity of the narrative. But I think the book deserves its stars, it is really EXCITING !!! Unable to drop as we have not finished the 4 volumes of the Hyperion Cantos. The plot is so delicately tangled, which is fun sometimes to see her shed even if it is only a little bit of nothing. The threat of the Shrike weighs on our poor little shoulders throughout the story, and we read the story all the pus soon to know what it is finally! The different personalities of the pilgrims are very well made, but above all ... the suspense is really HORRIBLE! ... It really changes the usual SF readings. It should be tempted and for me, if I was puzzled at first I certainly do not regret! I hope that the last book however is a real end to the cycle. Otherwise I would be desperate not to finally understand everything ...